Bridgerton Season 4 Review: A Fairy Tale with Teeth — Plus Part 2 Release Date, Trailer Hype & What to Expect

When Bridgerton first arrived on Netflix in December 2020, it didn’t just become a hit — it became a cultural event. Lavish romance, sharp social commentary, a color-conscious Regency world, and a bold reimagining of aristocratic London made it stand out instantly. Now, with Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 released on January 29, 2026, the focus shifts to Benedict Bridgerton — and honestly? It’s the most emotionally layered season yet.

Part 2 premieres on February 26, 2026 at 12 a.m. PT on Netflix, and after watching Part 1, it’s safe to say the second half is about to hit harder than anyone expected.

Let’s break down the review, the hype, the performances, and why this might be Bridgerton’s most mature love story so far.

🎭 What Is Bridgerton Season 4 About?

BridgertonAn Offer from a Gentleman

Season 4 adapts An Offer from a Gentleman, the third novel in Julia Quinn’s bestselling series. But this isn’t just another glittering Regency romance.

This is Cinderella — rewritten with emotional realism.

The spotlight falls on Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the bohemian second son who has always resisted society’s expectations. At his mother Violet’s masquerade ball, he meets a mysterious woman known only as the “Lady in Silver.” Sparks fly. Magic hangs in the air. It feels like destiny.

Except destiny is complicated.

The woman is actually Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) — a resourceful maid working under the sharp-eyed and socially ruthless Lady Araminta Gun. Benedict falls for a fantasy. Sophie lives in survival mode.

And that tension between illusion and reality? That’s the engine of the entire season.

⭐ Season 4 Review: Romance Meets Reality

Let’s be honest — Bridgerton has always delivered chemistry and spectacle. But Season 4 raises the emotional stakes.

1. Luke Thompson’s Best Performance Yet

Benedict has often been the charming wanderer — artistic, rebellious, a little lost. In Season 4, we see him confronted with something deeper: vulnerability.

In Part 1, Thompson balances romantic yearning with genuine confusion. His Benedict wants fairy-tale love — but he hasn’t yet understood what love demands in the real world. In the Part 2 trailer, Thompson teases: “It’s a very different Benedict that we see in Part 2.” And judging by the tone shift, we’re about to see him grow up fast.

2. Yerin Ha Is the Season’s Emotional Core

Sophie is not written as a passive dream girl. She’s sharp, resilient, strategic. She’s a survivor.

Ha brings a quiet strength to the role. There’s fragility in her moments with Benedict — but also steel underneath. She understands class divides in ways Benedict doesn’t. That contrast makes every romantic scene charged with tension.

This isn’t just “will they or won’t they.” It’s: Can fantasy and reality coexist?

3. The Theme: Fantasy vs. Hard Truth

Showrunner Jess Brownell framed it perfectly: Benedict lives in fantasy. Sophie lives in reality. Love requires meeting in the middle.

That thematic layering gives Season 4 weight. It doesn’t abandon the glamour — the masquerade sequence is visually stunning — but it peels back the curtain on the labor and hierarchy beneath high society.

For longtime fans, this evolution feels earned.

🎬 Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2 Release Date & What to Expect

Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2 premieres February 26, 2026, exclusively on Netflix.

The final four episodes promise:

• Benedict discovering the truth about Sophie’s identity

• Heightened social consequences

• Emotional fallout between fantasy and class reality

• Advice (and pressure) from returning fan-favorites Kate and Anthony

• A deeper dive into Sophie’s survival instincts

The Part 2 trailer signals a tonal shift — more intense, more intimate, and less dreamy. The fairy tale cracks. Reality enters the room.

And that’s where this story becomes interesting.

👑 New Characters Who Shake Up the Ton

Season 4 introduces a trio that adds sharp social friction:

• Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung) – Twice-widowed, calculating, socially strategic.

• Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) – Determined to secure Benedict.

• Posy Li (Isabella Wei) – Softer, kinder, but overlooked.

These additions deepen the class commentary and reinforce the pressure Sophie faces daily. Araminta, in particular, is positioned as a formidable social force — not a caricature, but a woman fiercely protecting status.

💎 Returning Favorites Keep the World Intact

The emotional continuity of Bridgerton remains strong. Returning cast members include:

• Simone Ashley as Kate Bridgerton

• Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton

• Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton

• Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte

• Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton

Their presence reinforces that while each season centers on a new sibling, the world remains interconnected.

And yes — the gossip still flows.

🌍 Bridgerton’s Cultural Impact & Awards Recognition

Since its debut, Bridgerton has earned critical acclaim for production design, performances, and its inclusive reimagining of Regency society. The series has won five Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, earned multiple Emmy nominations, and secured a Grammy nomination for composer Kris Bowers.

Its spin-off, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, further expanded the universe and proved that this franchise isn’t a fleeting phenomenon — it’s a global brand.

With Season 5 already confirmed, Netflix clearly knows what it has.

📈 Why Season 4 Is Generating So Much Hype

Let’s be blunt: audiences were ready for Benedict.

He’s been teased for three seasons — the artistic outsider, the emotionally complex sibling who never quite fit society’s mold. Giving him a love story rooted in identity and class conflict feels like the right move.

Add in:

• The Cinderella-inspired twist

• The dual-identity tension

• The chemistry between Thompson and Ha

• The February 26 cliffhanger anticipation

And you have serious streaming momentum.

Expect social media conversation spikes, renewed interest in Julia Quinn’s novels, and strong global streaming numbers for Part 2.

🔍 Final Verdict: Is Bridgerton Season 4 Worth Watching?

Absolutely.

Season 4 is more grounded than previous installments — but that’s its strength. It keeps the opulence while daring to question it. It keeps the romance while examining its cost.

Benedict and Sophie’s story isn’t just about passion. It’s about perspective.

And if Part 2 delivers on the emotional tension teased in the trailer, this could become one of the franchise’s most memorable arcs.

📅 Quick Facts

• Season 4 Part 1 Release: January 29, 2026

• Season 4 Part 2 Release: February 26, 2026

• Streaming On: Netflix

• Based On: An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

• Renewal Status: Season 5 confirmed

If you’ve followed Bridgerton since Daphne’s debut or joined during Colin and Penelope’s whirlwind romance, Season 4 feels like the natural next evolution.

The fantasy is still there.

But now, it has consequences.

And that makes it irresistible.